Summary: We will not investigate Mr B’s complaint about an incident at a Council library. This is because Mr B has not suffered a serious or significant injustice which would justify public money being spent on an investigation.

The complaint

1. Mr B complains he was treated unfairly when Council staff did not allow him to use a library computer for longer than the two hour time slot he had booked. Mr B also complains about the Council’s handling of his complaint about this incident.

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The Ombudsman’s role and powers

2. We investigate complaints about ‘maladministration’ and ‘service failure’, which we call ‘fault’. We must also consider whether any fault has had an adverse impact on the person making the complaint, which we call ‘injustice’. We provide a free service, but must use public money carefully. We do not start an investigation if we decide any injustice is not significant enough to justify our involvement. (Local Government Act 1974, section 24A(6), as amended, section 34(B))
3. This means we will normally only investigate a complaint where the complainant has suffered serious loss, harm, or distress as a direct result of faults or failures. We will not normally investigate a complaint where the alleged loss or injustice is not a serious or significant matter.

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How I considered this complaint

4. I considered information provided by Mr B.
5. I considered the Ombudsman’s Assessment Code.

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Final decision

6. We have limited resources and must use public money carefully. Mr B has not suffered a significant or serious injustice which would justify public money being spent on an investigation by the Ombudsman. So, we will not investigate this complaint.

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Investigator's decision on behalf of the Ombudsman